Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-04-27
AT THE CITY HALL.
The Council Awards the Contract for
Laying Water Mair S TO the
Lowest Bidder.
The City Attorney Says that it Would Be
Illegal for the Mayor to Remit
EInes-Other GFist.

The regular routine OF Council pro-
ceedings was erlivened So mewhat in the
session yesterday afterndon. His honor
aud the fathers were present aud the
benches outside the railing were filed
with spectators, who, Judging from the
frequent applause INDUCED in by them,
took q Keen interest i'll tie proceedings.
Things went on smoothly enough for q
few minutes till q Report of the
waterWorks committee Was read favOring
the award of a contract To lay 1000 feet
of Waterman5 TO A. Okahder at 81 cents
per linear feet. Hill, Rally and dagger
compose this committee, but only the
names Of the first two " ere signed to the
recommendation. An explanation OF the
report was called for by Darter, VINO said
that another contractor Mr.. Storrle) mad
bid 1919 cents to perform the
same work. HILL as chairman OF the
committee, said that the committee
did not think Storrie could do the work
for the price he had agrf red toi and inst
| i might save the city fFOm considerable
| loss not to award 1t to him. Rely argued
in the same line. City Engineer King was
called on, and gave his views to the same
tenor IS in an interview with him pup
lished in Sundays GAZETTE. He conSld-
cred the bid of Mr.. StPrrie as under the
cost of construction, yet If the
gentleman would execute a bond for
the faithful perfo rmsnce OF the
work be would favor awarding him the
contract; otherwise nol. Barter asked
if Storrie had compiled with all the pre-
nminary conditions, and was given an
affirmative answer.
Mr. S,orrie, being present. was asked
to address the Council. In referring to
the rejection of mis- bid, he intimsted that
it was because he was MT in "the ring"
lat this point Mr.. King, who
construed the remark personal, rose,
and in rather excited tones
said he would not submit to such an IN
suit. at the same time advancing toward
Storrie in menacingI attitude, his right
arm raised as if 10 strike.
1t looked for q MOI nent like there was
going TO be q row, and the lobby felt in
high gIee. Sam Farmer, in MS calm way,
interposed his person between Messrs.
King and Storrie, and the affair was
ended. The latter gentleman, con
tinuing his speech, said that
the bids should have been
opened publicly in presence OF the Mayor.
/ He knew what ne was about and on what
he was bidding. He had laid in the last
! eighteen months thirty six miles of mains.
, and was prepared t0 do this WORK.
! Ward asked the contractor II ne would
=, give bond. S.orrie said he had alresdy
, deposited his cert ted check Of $1,000
: which was all that had been required.
Daggett said that bonds were difficult Of
collection, and he preferred certified
! check for half the amount.
Darter-His certified check is for 6
. large enough amount in a $4,000 contract.
and It is unjust to require additional Sc
= curity from that stipulated in the outset
favor giving the contract to the lowest
o bidder. The vote was then taken on 8
motion to award the contract to Storrie,
and was carried by large majority.
Another interesting passage was on the
vote to adopt an ordinance giving back tt
the Mayor his old power OF remlttIng
n fines. Darter ask Jed in the outset IL TIT
Y Rebate that arose TO hear from City At
9 torney Warren. That gentleman clearly
and concise language explained to TIT
o Council that the power 10 remit could no
Il be delegated TO the Mayor Tn charter
u invested the Council only with tina
{ authority and it could not be transferred
He read severalI excerpts from lega
= works to prove mis- position. The COun
i Gil, when he had finished, seemed salts
c fed with the correctness of his argu
i ment. The Mayor said he hoped tn
Il Council would pass the ordinance an
. give him back his former power of remis
L sion, not that be bared to exercise it If
y was illegal, but rather because the oil
Is Council had taken it away from hin
u in spirit of spite. II
j called the Col ncil to witness tina
:; q wear ago he had asked to be relieved 0
the RENTING prdrOgative, because it wa
1 extremely annoying to have so man
- come to him for bardons.
IS Reilly said he wouldn't do anything il
y legal, but he understood that the boo
of city ordinances was full of illegal ones
u He would vote therefore to give tn
i. Mayor the right Ito remit and then swee
Is it away along With the rest Of invalI
= acts.
T. Tatum-As q matter Of respect to hi
10 honor and to bW that | have no spite
/ I'll vote to give him back this power,
y he'll promise ndt 10 exercise 1t.
Il His HOnor-It is very unkiDd of YOU t
E ask me to make any such promise.
10 the ordinance is illegal l would not {
10 could not remit fines.
IL Ward--If it is clearly illegal wins
W good can come!of anybody voting for il
~ Cooper said they had refused to TAI
20 the opinion of the city engineer and
Us didn't know why they should be 81
, more bound to accept the opinion Of tt
~ city attorney.
ny Daggett-Tfe governor of state Ia
" the power to remit fines, and so OugI
rs the governor of q city.
sc Barter explained that he was again
ID the ordinance, because it was illegal al
TT because the Mayor in the past rad abuse
Us his power. He was not actuated
:" malice.
u Haymaker-E is all child's pla
81 How can we DO forward and do thiI
IT. that we know will have to be uudone?
u Again the Mayor talked. He said
VI the people knew his motives for remittiI
III the fines nineEtenths of them would agrt
re with him. He had RENTED lot of o
T. 0on, Ill -.